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England maul fellow lions Milla, Cameroon

Few games at the 1990 FIFA World Cup
™ captured the imagination like the epic quarter-final
between England and Cameroon. This roller-coaster encounter brought
together an England side inspired by the exuberance and artistry of
playmaker Paul Gascoigne and a Cameroon team who, with an
opening-match win over Argentina and ensuing rush of goals from the
38-year-old Roger Milla, had already written their name in the
tournament's history books.

Prior to Italia 90, few would have predicted Cameroon
becoming the first African side to reach the quarter-finals. Yet
after stunning world champions Argentina, the Indomitable Lions had
only gotten stronger, earning further wins against Romania and
Colombia (both 2-1) to land joyously in the last eight. England, by
comparison, had rode their luck in the second round against
Belgium, but were now dreaming of the semi-final place denied them
by Argentina's Diego Maradona in 1986.

The San Paolo stadium had been kind to Cameroon in
the last round, when Milla left Colombian goalkeeper Rene Higuita
red-faced, yet the Africans went into this match without the
suspended quartet of Andre Kana, Emile Mbouh, Victor Ndip and Jules
Onana. Once again the veteran striker - with four goals to his name
- started on the bench yet Russian coach Valeri Nepomniachi would
send him on to make another telling contribution before the evening
was out.

A full-strength England had all the ball in the
opening moments yet on 12 minutes, it was Cameroon who crafted the
first chance as Louis Mfede played in Francois Omam for a
one-on-one with Peter Shilton. The England keeper blocked
Oman's first shot and was relieved to Mdfede's follow-up
effort fly past his left-hand post.

Cameroon took this as their cue to dominate. Mfede
was everywhere and had two more chances in quick succession: one
going over the bar, the other turned around the post by Shilton.
Then, against the run of play, England responded with the
game's opening goal after 25 minutes. Terry Butcher sent Stuart
Pearce tearing down the left wing and the full-back delivered an
inch-perfect cross to the far post, straight onto the head of David
Platt, England's saviour against Belgium. Veteran goalkeeper
Thomas Nkono was helpless as Platt buried the chance.

Save for a Thomas Libiih header that failed to
trouble Shilton, Cameroon created no openings of note in the run-up
to half-time and soon all eyes were on the running track where
Milla, sporting a new-look shaven head, was warming up. The veteran
entered the fray after the restart and on 61 minutes, shortly after
Lineker had sent a shot flying just over, Milla helped create the
equaliser. Running on to a Omam pass, he was felled in the box by
Gascoigne and Emmanuel Kunde duly converted to level the
scores.

With the Naples crowd having adopted the Cameroon
team as their own, the atmosphere in the stands was now electric.
Omam was next to surge towards goal, slipping the ball to Cyrille
Makanaky whose shot shaved the woodwork. Robson's men barely
had time to regroup before they were behind. Milla drifted past
Gascoigne, Mark Wright and Platt before sliding the ball to
substitute Eugene Ekeke. The striker had only been on the field a
couple of minutes but finished in style, lifting the ball over
Shilton and into the roof of the net. Cameroon were in
dreamland.

England discarded their sweeper system but the real
turning point came when Cameroon missed the chance that would have
made the game safe. Omam was the culprit, failing to hit the target
after a delightful one-two with Milla and he was made to pay almost
immediately. The ball went up the other end, Wright played in
Lineker and the striker was brought down by Benjamin Massing. The
striker dusted himself down and made no mistake with the penalty,
firing high to Nkono's left. With seven minutes remaining,
England were back in it.

Yet on a humid Neapolitan summer's night, they
continued to live dangerously. Shilton saved low from the
outstanding Omam and extra time brought more of the same. Omam
again, Makanaky, and then Milla all threatened but England
survived. And then, in the 105
th minute, they struck at the other end. Lineker raced
onto a Gascoigne through-ball, only to be sandwiched by Nkono and
Massing. Another penalty. This time Lineker, Golden Shoe winner in
Mexico four years earlier, shot down the middle to make it 3-2 with
his third goal of the tournament.

Cameroon's players did not have the legs to
respond and England, second-best for long spells, had booked a
place in the semi-finals for the first time since 1966.
"Let's all have a disco," sang the England supporters
as Robson wiped away a tear of joy before looking ahead to another
titanic confrontation in the semi-final against the old enemy, West
Germany. As for Cameroon, they found the energy to take a lap of
honour around the stadium - the least they deserved having
illuminated a low-scoring tournament with their high-thrills
football.